Softball

Invention.
Softball was invented in Chicago, Illonois on Thanksgiving Day, 1887. It took place at the Farragut Boat Club with a group of Harvard and Yale fans. They were anxiously awaiting the results of a football game played between Harvard and Yale.
When the results came in with Harvard's defeat, an excited Yale supporter threw an old boxing glove at a Harvard fan. The Harvard fan then hit it back with a stick.This first contest ended with a score of 41-40.

Other Names for Softball.
1) Indoor Baseball
2) Kitten Baseball
3) Diamond Ball
4) Mush Ball
5) Pumpkin Ball
The name softball was given in 1926.

Similarities Between Softball & Baseball.
The Game.
A baseball/softball game is played by two teams who alternate between offense and defense. There are nine players on each side. The goal is to score more runs than the opponent, which is achieved by one circuit of four bases that are placed on the diamond.
The Equipment.
The defense wears baseball/softball gloves, a leather contraption that fits on the hand, to catch the ball. The offense uses a bat, which is made of wood in the professional ranks, and likely made of aluminum or a metal composite at amateur levels. Almost all softball bats are aluminum or metal.
The Feild.
The part of the field closest to the bases is called the infield, and the grassy farther reaches is called the outfield.
Defence: The Positions.
There's a pitcher in the middle of the mound who initiates the action by throwing the ball toward home plate. The catcher catches the ball if it's not hit. The infielders are the first baseman, second baseman, shortstop (between second and third base) and the third baseman. There are three outfielders: The left fielder, center fielder and right fielder.
The Game.
There are nine innings in professional baseball games (sometimes fewer in lower levels), and each inning is divided in half to the top of the inning and the bottom of the inning. Each team gets three outs in each half of the innings.
On Offense.
Each team has nine players in its batting order, and they must stick to that order throughout the game. A play begins with a batter waiting to hit a pitch from the pitcher. If the batter hits the ball into the field of play, the batter runs to first base and can run to as many bases as he or she deems fit without getting "out." A batter gets three strikes or he or she is out. If there are four ball , the batter is automatically allowed to go to first base. When a batter begins running, he or she is then referred to as a "runner". Runners attempt to reach a base, where they are "safe" and can remain on the base until the next hitter comes up. The defensive players attempt to prevent this by putting the runners out using the ball; runners put out must leave the field. A batter gets a "hit" when he or she reaches a base without getting out, or forcing another runner to get out. Runs are scored when a player completes a circuit of the diamond before there are three outs in the inning. If a players hits the ball over the outfield fence in fair territory, it's a home run, and the batter can circle all four bases.
On Defense.
There are many ways that the team on defense can get an offensive player out. Four common ways are:

-Strikeouts (hitter misses three pitches)
-Force outs (when, after the ball is hit, the defensive player with the ball reaches a base before the runner)
-Fly outs (when a player hits the ball in the air and it's caught by a defensive player before the ball hits the ground)
-Tag outs (when a runner is touched with the ball, or a glove with the ball in it)

Differences Between Softball & Baseball

Pitching area: Youth baseball programs, particularly at the advanced levels, feature a pitching mound that the pitcher throws from (the younger levels may call for hitters to hit off a tee or from a ball pitched from their coach). That isn't the case in softball . The pitcher delivers balls on level ground with the batter. The other major pitching difference is that softball pitchers deliver the ball in an underhand motion; baseball pitchers can throw overhand or even sidearm if they choose.
Distance from the pitcher's area to home plate: The game of fast-pitch softball puts a greater emphasis on pitching, because the pitcher throws from a distance much closer to home plate than in baseball. At the beginning levels of youth softball, pitchers generally deliver pitches about 35 feet from home plate. At the higher levels of play, pitchers throw balls from 40 feet.
Base paths: The base paths in softball are several feet shorter than those in baseball. When pitchers throw from 35 feet, the bases typically are 55 feet apart; when pitchers deliver balls from 40 feet, the bases usually are 60 feet apart. The smaller base paths in turn create a smaller infield area, which affects the defense of the infielders.
Field size: Outfield measurements vary greatly. A common distance from home plate to the outfield fence in softball is 150 feet for the younger kids, while for the older kids it extends to 225 to 250 feet.
Size of the ball: A regulation softball is significantly larger than a regulation baseball. A softball measures between 11.88 and 12.13 inches in circumference and weighs between 6.25 and 7.00 ounces; a baseball measures between 9.00 and 9.25 inches in circumference and weighs between 5.00 and 5.25 ounces.
Bats: At the youth level, bats used for baseball and softball are interchangeable. At the advanced levels of play, players use softball-specific bats, which come in a variety of different materials, such as graphite, carbon, Kevlar, and liquid metal, to name a few. Many softball programs only allow specific types of bats to be used.